Apparatus for handling tubes



Oct. 24, 1944,

A. s. ANDERSON 2,361,001

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING TUBES Filed Sept. 30, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l NVENTOR ATTORNEYS Oct. 24, 1944. A. G. ANDERSON APPARATUS FOR HANDLING TUBES Filed Sept. 50, 1942 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR QM M W ATTO RN Y5 Patented Oct. 24, 1944 2,361,001 a APPARATUS FOR HANDLING TUBES Anders Gustav Anderson, Brooklyn. N. Y., assignor to Arenco Machine Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., .a corporation of New York Application September 30, 1942, Serial No. 160,317

Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for handling tubes of relatively soft material such, for example, as collapsible tubes for paste or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide simple .and efiicient'means for screwing a cap tight to a tube which previously has been placed in a machine and at the same time properly to shape the open end of the tube through which the paste is to be introduced to facilitate the operation of seaming such end after introduction of the paste.

Previous apparatus for screwing a cap to the tube have involved a gripping member inserted within the tube for the purpose of effecting rotation thereof. An apparatus of this type is sub- 'ject to the possibility of injury to the lining provided in tubes for containing certain paste com positions.

A feature of the present apparatus is the fact that the tube-turning member engages the exterior surface only of the tube, thereby avoiding all possibility of injury to the inner surface or lining of the tube. Furthermore, the present apparatus converts the open end of the'tube from circular to elliptical configuration thereby facilitating the operation of producing the seam at the end of the tube after it has been filled.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. '1 is a side elevation partly in section of an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the tube-turning member;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 with the tuberotating member oriented 90";

Fig, 4 is a plan view of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation partly broken away of a collapsible tube having a lining, and

Fig. '7 is a top View of Fig. 6 after conversion of the open end from circular to elliptical configuration.

An endless ,chainconveyor III is provided with vertical open end pockets I I for supporting tubes T. The chain conveyor It) runs over sprocket wheels (not shown) which revolve sidewise so that the conveyor H) on each movement advances one step in the direction of the arrow, each step corresponding to the distance between the centers of two adjacent pockets H. Above the path of travel of the pockets ll there is provided a rotatable shaft l2, to the lower end of which is attached a tubular member 13 closed at its upper end except for an aperture l4 and open at its-lower end. The upper portion of the member 13 is elliptical in cross-section while its open end is circular so as to provide a portion 15 of appreciable length which changes from circular to elliptical cross-section upwardly of the mem.- ber 13. The inner periphery of the elliptical portion of the tubular member [3 is slightly less than the outer periphery of the tube T, while the periphery of the circular mouth of the member -I 3 exceeds the periphery of the tube T.

Below the conveyor l0 and opposite to the member I3 is provided an elevator member l6 having a hook I! pivoted thereto and adapted to grip the cap C of a tube. The hook l 'l-is actuated by a spring (not shown) and coacts with an abutment 18 to clamp and release a cap C.

The shaft I2 is provided with a pinion l9 with which meshes a rack 20 secured to a rod 2! lon-' By means of.

p a lever '32 having its other end pivoted on the pin '33. The lever 32 is provided with a roller 34 and a spring 35 biases the lever 32 .to press the roller 34 into contact with the periphery of a cam disk 36 attachedto the shaft 2 9. I

In the path of travel of the conveyor pockets there may be provided devices (not shown) for supplying filling material to the tube for sealing the ends of the tubes and for stamping and printingthe tubes. These devices. however, form no part of the present invention and, therefore, are not illustrated.

In operation, an empty. tube T-having a cap C loosely screwed thereon is placed'in a pocket ll of the conveyor Ill. The tube"T is then moved sidewise in the direction of the arrow until it has obtained a position between the' member l3 and the elevator 16.

' the elevator.

a non-rotatable member I 3 of of the tube T has engaged the inner surface of the tapering portion I5 of the member I3, the member I3 is caused to revolve through a predetermined angle by swinging the lever 24, thus effecting sliding movement of the rod 2| and rack 20. The member I3 exerts sufficient friction on the tube to effect rotation thereof thereby screwing the tube tight to the cap which is held against rotation. After the cap has been screwed tight, the tube may either -be held stationary by the cap and hook I'I; or'may continue to rotate and carry the cap with it, depending upon whether the friction between the member I3 and the tube T exceeds oris less thamthe friction between the book 11 and the cap C. During the elevation of the tube, the open end of it is converted from circularcross-section to elliptical cross-section and if there is any slip page between the member I3 and the tube T, the only effect is to, chahgethe orientation of the axes of the ellipticalportion'relative to the body v of the tube, such change beingpermitted by reason, of;the extreme, flexibility of the metal com;- prising the-tube. In-the event: that there is no design on the surfaceof the empty tube, it may be'placed' in a pocket II without making any attemptto orient the tube to any particular; po-

sition. However, in the event that there'is a'design on the surface of the tube, the tube is placed in a pocket II with a predetermined orientation of the design so that after the tube is filled the design will bear the desired relation tothe seam ofthe tube. v After the elevator has reached the top of its stroke it moves downwardly to remove the top end of the tube from the member I3 and the shape of the cams 28 and 36 is such that the member I3 remains stationary until the'tube has been completely removed from the member I4,

thereby preventing any possibility of unscrewing of the cap C during the downward movementof The upper end of the tube T .is left in elliptical shape and the limit of rotation of the member. I3 is so fixed that the elliptical end of the tube is properly oriented with respect to the pocket II and, the tubeis properly presentedto the seaming mechanism to facilitate the seaming operation. The tube is thereafter moved by the conveyor I0 to the successive stations for the operations of filling, seaming, etc.

H 2,361,001 -multaneously, or preferably after the top edge a threaded closure cap, the combination of a smooth inner surface tubular member of elliptical cross section having a bell-shaped mouth, a member for supporting a tube by the cap, means for projecting a tube through said mouth into said tubular memberto convert the open end of said tube to elliptical configuration with its outer surface frictionally engaging the inner elliptical surface of said tubular member, means for rotating said tubular and supporting memscrewed to the tube. l

T 2. In an apparatus for handling cylindrical "tubes of a' relatively soft material provided with a threaded closure cap, the combination of a rotatable smoothinner surface tubular member of elliptical cross-section having a bell-shaped bottom, a member reciprocable axially of said tu bula'r-m'ember; means on said member for bolding a'itube cap, means for effecting to and fro movement of said reciprocable member to projecta tube-through said bell-shaped bottom into said tubular member to convert the end of said tube to'elliptical configuration with its outer surface frictionally engaging the inner elliptical sur- -face;of said tubular memben'and means for effecting' clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of said tubular member, the relation of such two last-named means being such that the rotatable member is retained stationary during the initial movement of the reciprocable member away from the rotatable member.

3. An apparatus accordingto claim 2 in which the means for effecting movement of said reciprocable and rotatable members comprises cams and levers.-

4. In an apparatus for handling cylindrical tubes of a relatively soft material provided with a threaded closure cap,,the combination of a smooth inner surface rotatable tubular member of elliptical cross-section having a bell-shaped bottom, a member reciprocable axially of said tubular member, means on said member for hold:- ing a tube cap, means for effecting to and fro movement of said reciprocable member to pro- 'ject a tube throughfsaid bell-shaped bottom into said tubular member to'convert the end of said tube to elliptical configuration with its outer surface vfrictionally engaging the innerelliptical surface of said tubular member, and means for effecting clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of said tubular member, the relation of said two awayfromthe'rotatable member. I a 5.v An apparatus according to claim 4 in which the means for effectingmovement' of sai d recip 1. In an apparatus for handling cylindrical tubes of a relatively soft material provided with rocable 'and'rotatable members comprisesv cams andlevers. v r ANDERS GUSTAVANDERSON. 

